Ino’s Documents appointed as NATIONAL TREASURES

IT HAS BEEN almost 200 years since Tadataka Ino (伊能忠敬) passed away. Tadataka made the first accurate coastal maps of Japan. He was born at Katori City, Chiba
Prefecture in 1745.

It took Tadataka nearly 16 years to complete his project. He walked 3700 days and took 40,000,000 steps along Japan’s coastline, nearly 44,000 km, longer than the
equator. Tadataka traveled 230 out of 365 days, and averaged 12km a day.

In honor of his remarkable feat, a statue of Tadataka stands at Tomioka Hachimangu,

Fukagawa, Tokyo, where Tadataka wished for travel safety at every departure. The stick Tadataka carrys is not a walking stick! It is called Wankarashin (彎窠羅鍼), a
stick with an azimuth compass and leveler. Tadataka’s achievement was inherited throughout the Meiji, Taisho, Showa eras and had a big impact on the development of map science.

Today there are only two scrolls existing in the world which depict his work. They are Urashima Sokuryo no Zu (1806) and Mitarai Sokuryo no Zu (1806). Both are
located in Kure city.

Recently, Takehisa Igaki (井垣武久) from the Kure Board of Education, found some similarities in a painting by local artist Kiyoshi Asai and the scrolls. He identified
the mountain depicted in the Urashima scroll as Mt. Shiratake in Hiro. Some neighboring islands in the Seto Inland Sea were also narrowed down. It revealed that Tadataka’s measuring took place in
the Nagahama, Hiro, Aga and Ondo districts.

“A painter must have accompanied Tadataka and painted the scenes,” says Takehisa. Among his many assistants was a sword carrier. A steel sword has the capability to
influence compass readings so Tadataka wore a bamboo sword while working. His attendant held the real sword for him.

Since the fifth delegation, the Shogunate sponsored Tadakata’s map work. A number of clan officials and village helpers made a long procession
and accompanied Tadataka.

This March, 2345 items of documention, maps and drawings were designated as National Treasures. The scroll Urashima Sokuryo no Zu is kept at Irifuneyama Museum
(Important Cultural Property) in Kure.

Photos Top: Tadataka statue, Tomioka Hachimangu, Tokyo

Left: Japan coastlines as traveled by Tadataka

Right: Part of Urashima Sokuryo no Zu drawn in Bunjinga style (Chinese style)